Why does my chicken breast come out dry

SmallBodyBigHeart
SmallBodyBigHeart Posts: 112
in Food and Nutrition
Everytime I cook chicken breat it comes out dry and tasteless. I cook my chicken breast in my oven and I season it with different species and what not. Am I over cooking it or what? Oh and yeah, I am new at cooking
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Replies

  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
    I find a lot of people are really scared to undercook chicken so they cook the crap out of it.

    I use a small indoor grill (it's one of those ones that's like a Panini press/grill/griddle) and I cook my chicken breast on there and they come out perfectly cooked and super moist every time. I tenderize the pieces a bit first then cook them for maybe 10 minutes max. If I'm unsure if it's fully done I just cut into one.

    ETA: taste wise, it's better if you put a good seasoning on it and put it in a ziplock bag and put it back in the fridge for a few hours. I like putting fresh crushed garlic with rosemary. Or my husband loves bacon salt sprinkled on it before I cook it.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    You are overcooking it, you could also try a brine for the chicken before cooking
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,280 Member
    Yep...you probably are. I prefer to make mine in a grill pan...that way I can monitor the cooking. When it starts to "sweat" and the juices run clear, its done. :)
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Do you have a slow cooker? It changes everything. Seriously... tender chicken breasts, no stock/liquid required unless you just want to. I put in 9 frozen breasts for six hours... shredded with a fork beautifully. We ate it for 2-3 days with a homemade bbq sauce poured over... delicious and too easy.
  • Staceyblewin
    Staceyblewin Posts: 96 Member
    I used to think I hated chicken, then I realized that both myself and my husband overcook it. Turns out, chicken is delicious when cooked properly, even with very little seasoning.
  • GZero81
    GZero81 Posts: 10 Member
    Yeah, it sounds like you're overcooking it. I cook mine on a George foreman grill and they always come out really moist. The key is to pick find the thickest part and then check it periodically.
  • smileybonbon85
    smileybonbon85 Posts: 8 Member
    Sounds like overcooking to me. My trick is to use a meat thermometer. They have electronic ones that have every type of meat on them. I normally cook mine in a dry skillet (no oil or butter) will a little seasoned salt on it.
  • megsi474
    megsi474 Posts: 370 Member
    My husband is the king of making his famous moist-free chicken. The key is a lower temperature instead of cooking it too fast at too high of one.
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    I pound mine out thin then I add my favorite spices...cut & clean asparagus and roll the chicken around it ( you can put chesse inside also) and I season the top and put it in the over at 350 for about 30 mins...depends how flat you pound it. It's so tender & moist.

    Over cooking will dry it out!!
  • LolasEpicJourney
    LolasEpicJourney Posts: 1,010 Member
    I typically boil my chicken until almost completely cooked - then BBQ or grill
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    If I'm just cooking the chicken plain int he oven, I add a little water to the pan, and maybe some oil. Much less dry!

    Also, if I'm feeling really lazy, I just throw frozen chicken breast in my crockpot with a little bit of water or stock. I have fast and easy shredded chicken for when I get home for dinner!
  • ehg87
    ehg87 Posts: 430 Member
    you're overcooking it....
  • Hattieross
    Hattieross Posts: 17
    Try marinating it in plain low fat yogurt, garlic, rosemary and lemon overnight in a ziplock.

    Once you reach an internal temp of 165 degrees it's done.

    Or, cut the breast in half. If there's no "pink" it's done.

    You will have a juicy, wonderfully seasoned chicken breast.

    I make several this way so I can use them for other meals.

    Hope this is helpful!
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
    If you're baking the chicken with just seasonings, place it in a sealed tin foil pouch (on a cookie sheet or something).

    Make sure meat is at room temp before cooking. If you place just out of the fridge meat into a hot oven....the outside will cook and the inside will be undercooked.

    These two tips, and I've never had dried out chicken since. And I generally only cook skinless chicken, usually boneless breasts.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    this is why i prefer chicken thighs. there's a bit more fat so it's juicier. it's so hard to dry out a chicken thigh, even for me and i'm a horrible cook who knows when stuff is done when i smell the burnt :laugh:
  • SmallBodyBigHeart
    SmallBodyBigHeart Posts: 112
    Okay instead of cooking it on 330 im going to try to cook it on 265
  • sewerchick93
    sewerchick93 Posts: 1,438 Member
    A little thing I do is rub some mayo on it before I season and cook it. The moisture will cook out of the mayo instead of your chicken breast and in the end you don't taste the mayo.
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    Do you have a slow cooker? It changes everything. Seriously... tender chicken breasts, no stock/liquid required unless you just want to. I put in 9 frozen breasts for six hours... shredded with a fork beautifully. We ate it for 2-3 days with a homemade bbq sauce poured over... delicious and too easy.


    I also think you should try the slow cooker. Turns out moist and yummy every time.
  • dwiebe85
    dwiebe85 Posts: 123
    bump
  • lad323
    lad323 Posts: 82 Member
    Sear the chicken breast on the stove for a few minutes each side and then cook it in the oven. If you don't sear it on the stove first to form a coating on the outside, all the juices will run out of the inside.
  • lauraashley614
    lauraashley614 Posts: 117
    Bump...ps
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Brine.
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    I often use roasting bags. Just pop the chicken breasts in the bag add some spices, place the bag on a baking tray, tie the bag loosely with the ties and cook in the oven. It cooks in it's own juices but you can add a little olive oil if you like. About forty minutes for four chicken breasts or chicken quarters at 180 degrees electric (an hour max) the bag keeps it moist and you don't have any oily pans to wash up afterwards.

    There is a product called So Juicy. This gives you the bag and spices, you can get several different flavours and you just add the chicken. Lovely.
  • SnugNuts
    SnugNuts Posts: 15
    What I do is cook it on a skillet, pretty much sear my chicken breast like a steak, then throw in in the oven for a few minutes, and it seriously gets juicy.
  • Ninatoots
    Ninatoots Posts: 192 Member
    This sounds like the way my husband cooks the chicken! All dry and burnt!:sick:
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Sear the chicken breast on the stove for a few minutes each side and then cook it in the oven. If you don't sear it on the stove first to form a coating on the outside, all the juices will run out of the inside.
    That's an old cooking myth. Searing does not seal in anything. If something is dry, it's because it's overcooked, that's it.
  • grammacarol1943
    grammacarol1943 Posts: 32 Member
    I love to cook my chicken in the crock pot. Just put a little seasoning on it and let it cook. I put about 3 bone=in frozen chicken breasts in and cook for about 4 hours. Becomes super tender, then shredd. Hard to get it to the table, I keep picking at it. Yummy
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    A normal sized breast takes 35-40 minutes at 350 and that should be fully cooked and still juicy.
  • KiltFuPanda
    KiltFuPanda Posts: 574 Member
    I wrap mine in foil before putting them in the oven/toaster oven. You've never tasted a juicier chunk of chicken, and it does a good job of marinating while cooking if you add spices. I've done everything from lemon pepper to cajun blackening spice, and it's always good!
  • Windy32
    Windy32 Posts: 54
    I have been buying frozen chicken tenderloins. I season it with some mccormick seasoning place it in a foil linned pan,and then broil it on low with it in middle of oven for 15 min flip it broil it on low for another 10 min then turn it on high for 5 mins.

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